Longevity by Picking up Attributes in the Battlefield

Chapter 670: Chapter 272: Ying Zheng: I Heard Guiguzi Invited Zhao Feng to Guigu

Upon hearing the urgent report from the border city in the Northern Border.

The formerly confident chief among the Three Clans immediately panicked.

At the Western Borders of the Chu State, Xiang Yan was holding firm, fending off the Qin Army’s assault.

Naturally, they were unperturbed; as long as supplies lasted, that would suffice.

But the cities in the northern border of Chu State were under their defense and command; once the Northern Border was breached, it would bode ill for them.

”Speak, what has happened in the Northern Border?”

”Could it be that Qin has mobilized troops from the Northern Border?”

Zhao Wen, who had just been calm, immediately inquired aloud.

”Read it directly—what exactly happened?”

”Quick, read it.” The other two shouted at once.

The assembled ministers all fixed their gaze upon him.

Under the watchful eyes of so many nobles and courtiers, the messenger soldier, trembling, raised the urgent report in his hand: ”Great King, your subject cannot read, and begs Your Majesty to peruse it yourself.”

With such a war report, even a minor misstep could spell death without burial.

After all, this court of Chu was not like that of Qin.

In Qin, even ill news would never result in the wrath of King Ying Zheng being visited upon a mere messenger soldier.

After all, as a Daqin Elite Soldier, honored with rank, such a one is considered a meritorious subject.

Under the Daqin Law, none would be punished for such a thing.

But in the various other states, things were different.

Elsewhere, power rested with the nobility; ordinary peasants and common soldiers without connections or pedigree could never ascend to high office.

”Present it.”

The King of Chu waved his hand.

The temple official at his side quickly strode down to receive the urgent dispatch.

The King of Chu took it.

His expression abruptly changed.

”Loyal ministers,”

”A grave crisis has befallen us.”

”Lord Wu’an, Zhao Feng of Qin, is leading the Wu’an Military Camp against our Great Chu.”

”Now Qufu City and seven neighboring towns have already been breached by Zhao Feng’s advance.”

”Our northern defense army stationed at the border has been overwhelmed by the Qin Army, suffering devastating losses,” the King of Chu said, his voice trembling slightly.

As his words fell—

The Three Clans, who had not worried moments prior, now began to panic as well.

”How could it be so swift?”

”Our Great Chu never even received covert intelligence of the Wu’an Military Camp’s movements from Qin.”

”When did King of Qin order the attack?”

”Qufu City was held by fifty thousand soldiers, and together with the surrounding towns, the force was over a hundred thousand.”

”Even if Zhao Feng is formidable, it’s impossible to breach them in mere days.”

”What is to be done?”

”Zhao Feng is indeed Qin’s undefeated general.”

”In just a few days, our Northern Border has been overrun by Zhao Feng and his forces.”

”The Wu’an Military Camp surpasses even Hangu Pass...”

At this moment—

The Chu court fell into panic.

”Three loyal ministers,”

”With Zhao Feng leading troops to attack, what should be done now?” The King of Chu turned to the chiefs of the Three Clans.

”Your Majesty.”

”There is no time to lose. May Your Majesty swiftly proclaim an edict and reinforce the Northern Border.” Zhao Wen loudly petitioned.

”I concur.”

”We must promptly dispatch troops to reinforce the Northern Border and repel the Qin Army’s assault.”

The civil and military officials on the court all spoke up one after another.

Yet—

Upon hearing this,

The King of Chu’s face was full of worry.

He may be king, but there were no troops under his direct command to send forth.

Hence,

He bit his lip, gaze fixed directly on Zhao Wen.

”Three loyal ministers,”

”You hold sway over Chu’s military and government. Now the Northern Border is lost; just how to deploy forces shall be up to you three. I will fully support it.” the King of Chu declared loudly at once.

Evidently,

The King of Chu was not foolish, and immediately threw the difficult decision back at them.

”Minister Zhao Wen, how many troops can our Great Chu still mobilize?” The Qu Clan’s representative asked, looking to Zhao Wen.

”If we pull back the forces defending Baiyue, our Chu can still muster three hundred thousand.”

”Yet compared to Qin’s numbers, it still seems insufficient.”

”Moreover, the Qin Army is well supplied, while our provisions are lacking,” Zhao Wen replied with clear difficulty.

Then his gaze shifted, and he bowed again to the King of Chu: ”Reporting to Your Majesty, with current strength, it is most difficult to contend with Qin. In my humble opinion, Your Majesty should at once issue a royal edict to recruit veteran soldiers among the populace and enlist new conscripts.”

”Only thus can we withstand the might of Qin.”

At this,

The other two knelt at once: ”This minister concurs.”

”We must recruit troops immediately, else we truly cannot stand against Qin.”

”Beyond that, if Senior General Xiang Yan can still hold out, it would be wise to have him reallocate troops to defend the Northern Border.”

”Agreed.”

”Senior General is stationed at Chufang City, our most fortified stronghold—easy to defend, hard to attack. Senior General can surely spare troops to reinforce the Northern Border.”

...

The three played off each other’s words,

Once more pushing the dilemma upon the King of Chu.

Faced with such conduct from the three,

The King of Chu’s hand clenched inside his sleeve, suffused with a sense of helplessness.

Even with the country at the brink of ruin, the Three Clans cared only for their own interests.

”Loyal ministers,”

”You must have heard what Qin does to other states.”

”They even dared to kill the King of Yan—do you think they would hesitate to kill you?”

”If Qin’s troops truly reach our capital, do you believe there will be any left unscathed beneath the fallen nest?” The King of Chu pronounced each word heavily to the ministers.

At these words!

The faces of many ministers changed; they understood the King’s warning well enough.

The nation lost, the clan extinguished.

In the Three Jins, in Yan,

How many kings, how many great clans fell prisoner to Qin?

One morning’s power, all lost.

Observing the silence and apprehension in the court,

The King of Chu laughed coldly to himself before speaking again: ”Should the Qin Army truly reach our gates, if all my kin are dead and I am left alone, I will never become a prisoner.”

”As for you, loyal ministers, I will not be able to concern myself with your fates.”

These words carried an implicit warning.

If they still refused to do their utmost, scheming only for self-preservation, he would meet death unflinching, but the fortunes of the nobles would be lost utterly.